Border Telegraph | News | Decision will be 'bad for staff and for the public'

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Wednesday, 1st February, 2006 10:09

Decision will be 'bad for staff and for the public'

By Border Telegraph Newsroom

WORKERS at Galashiels job centre went on strike for two days last week in protest at the government’s decision to relocate services to a call centre in Dundee.

40 jobs are on the line, as part of a nationwide cull which could see 15,000 Department of Work and Pensions employees out of work.

The decision has provoked outrage at the Public and Commercial Services Union, who say the standard of benefit processing in the Borders will drop dramatically.

Job Seekers Allowance claims have already been axed from the Galashiels branch as from Monday, and it appears that the office will not be given “stepping stone” status, which would allow workers to assist the big call centres while they are being set up.

Pickets outside Galashiels JobCentrePlus last Thursday and Friday also think the service will decline.

One said: “It will be bad for the staff, but also bad for the Borders public.

“Up until now, decisions on claims were made locally. If they disagreed, they could come and meet the person face to face.

“The standard of decision making is dropping rapidly, and that is a big loss to the Borders public.”

Another said: “40 jobs are going to go, and we have had this uncertainty for at least two years. The Borders is the lowest paid region in the country, and this is a big loss.”

The striking workers were also given backing from Scottish Socialist Party list MSP, Rosemary Byrne, who tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament.

Mrs Byrne, who joined the picket line on Thursday, said: “The motion was really about saving the jobs and supporting the workers.

“It is also about saving the services, because people will have to phone a centre in Dundee.

“If there are any delays, they won’t be able to sort out the problem face to face. If people need the money quickly, there could be issues.”

She added: “The workers don’t know what their future will be. Some have 20-odd years’ service, and they don’t know if they will be redeployed or what their future will hold.”

But the Department of Work and Pensions has taken a dim view over the national strike action.

A DWP spokesperson said: “If we are going to meet our commitments to deliver the highest quality of service to our customers, it is vital we push ahead with our modernisation programme.

“It is therefore disappointing that the PCS appear not to be moving in the same direction, and seem opposed to much of the change.

“We are absolutely committed to our service to the public, and while some offices may close, our robust contingency plans ensure that our top priority to make payments to our customers is maintained.”

Borders MP, Michael Moore, has had to reschedule tomorrow’s (Thursday) meeting with Kevin Doran, Scottish director of JobCentrePlus, but plans to continue the workers’ fight.

He said: “I remain extremely concerned about the proposals for the Galashiels office, not least since they appear not to be getting stepping-stone status, which would allow them to help the big processing centres gear up.”

But Scottish Borders Council leader, David Parker, says the council can do little to help the workers.

He said: “We can make our views known, and we can make representation nationally to the civil service, but ultimately this will be a national decision.

“The union feel that they have no choice but to pursue that course of action. I think it is understandable that people want to strike to protect their jobs.”

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